PLATO® Course Activity COURSEWARE Applying Social Disorganization and Labeling Theories This Course Activity will help you meet these educational goals: . Content Knowledge-You will identify the different types of crime that occur in disorganized societies and determine the ways in which people label offenders as "criminals." . Inquiry-You will conduct online research and perform an investigation in which you will collect information, make observations, and communicate your results in written form. . 21st Century Skills-You will employ online tools for research and analysis, use critical thinking and problem solving skills, and communicate effectively. Introduction In this activity, you will make a list of the various types of criminal activities that occur in your community. Further, you will discuss the consequences of labeling an offender as a "criminal." Directions and Analysis Task 1: Identifying Crimes in Disorganized Communities Conduct research online, through public records, or other means to find which sections of your community receive faster police response time when addressing criminal activity. Examine what kind of criminal activity, on average, is happening. Examples include vandalism, domestic violence, larceny, and burglary. Prepare a slideshow presentation comparing your findings with the arguments of social disorganization. Type your response here: The unwillingness to act against criminal activities happening will make the criminal think that it is going to be okay for whatever violence they are doing. Residents' refusal to report or stop illegal activity communicates the point of view that such behavior is acceptable, which may encourage further crime. As a result, there may be an endless cycle whereby both the community as well as criminals grow more brazen. become increasingly frightened and estranged from one another. People prefer to fear being targets of violence more the more they develop an awareness of it. Task 2: Determining the Effects of Labeling Based on your experience, reflect on occasions where you or someone you know were labeled by people in authority, such as a teacher, police officer, parent, or judge. Make a list of phrases or actions such authoritative figures may use to label someone as a criminal. Write a short paragraph on how you, or someone you know, felt after being labeled. Type your response here: Phrases and actions that these authoritative figures may use to label someone as a criminal include accusing someone of committing a crime, arresting or detaining someone on suspicion of a crime, or punishing someone for a crime they allegedly committed. Being labeled as a criminal can have long-lasting psychological 1 edmentum C 2015 EDMENTUM, INC.
effects, such as shame, embarrassment, and a sense of hopelessness. In some cases, it can also lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy where an individual internalizes the label and starts to see themselves as a criminal 2
Evaluation Your teacher will use this rubric to evaluate the completeness of your work as well as the clarity of your thinking. Total Points: 100 3 Task 1: Identifying Crimes in Disorganized Communities Task points: [50] · conducting research about crimes in different sections of your